Electric switch.



No. 675,6!4. Patentad June 4, l90l. J. M. ANDERSEN.

ELECTRIC swncn.

(Application filed Jan, 17, 1900.)

(No Model.)

rs PETERS cc, momuwc. wasmncron D c UNTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- llALF TO ALBERT ANDERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECEFTUATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 675,614, dated June 4, 1901.

Application filed January 17,1900. Serial No. 1,726. (No model.)

To aZZ rule/07w zit may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHAN M. Annnnsnn, a citizen of the United States, residing; in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following de scription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is herein shown as embodied in an electric switch adapted to be used in elevator systems employing an electric motor to drive a pump which takes water from a storage tank or well and pumps the same into a tank from which it is taken to operate the elevator.

The electric switch embodying this invention is especially applicable for use in connection with an elevator system employing a pressure-tank into which water is forced by the pump until the pressure reaches a predetermined point,whereupon the switch is automatically opened by mechanism, as will be described and which constitutes the chief feature of this invention. The mechanism referred to is constructed, as will be described, so as to insure a quick make-and-break movement of the switch under all conditions, thereby avoiding liability of injury to the switch and stopping of the elevator system due to burning out of the switch, which in switches as now constructed and used for this purpose and known to me is caused by the contact blade or blades being engaged with and disengaged from the cooperating terminal or terminals in such manner as to reduce the surface contact of the blade with the terminal without effecting a complete engagement with or disengagement from the terminal or terminals, consequently reducing the current-carrying capacity of the blade or blades, which results in overheating and burning out of the switch.

This invention has for its object to avoid the above-mentioned defect and to provide mechanism for actuating the blade or blades in such manner as will insure the blade or blades being withdrawn from and engaged with the terminal or terminals substantially in an instant and for the full width of the blade that is, when the actuating mechanism moves the contact-blade into engagement with its cooperating terminal it does, so substantially in an instant, and effects engagement of the blade for its entire width or for substantially its entire width, so that it will carry the current employed to operate the motor without danger of overheating or burning out of the switch, and when the blade is disengaged from the terminal it is removed from contact therewith substantially in an instant. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is an elevation of an electric switch and its actuating mechanism embodying this invention, and Fig. 2 an under side View of theswitch and its actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

The actuating mechanism which forms the essential feature of this invention consists of a reciprocating bar a, provided in the present instance with rack or gear teeth I) c on opposite sides or surfaces, with which engage segmental gears d e on the ends of levers or arms f g, united at their outer ends by springs h. In the present instance two sets of springs h are shown as connected to the ends of pins or rods p, extended through the levers or arms fg. (See Fig. 2.)

The rack-bar a is movable in suitable guides c' j, attached to a frame 71?, carrying the pivots or shafts m n for the segmental gears. The rack-bar a is loosely yet positively connected at one end to the switch and at its opposite end to the mechanism which actuates it.

In the present instance the switch referred to is shown as a lever 2, provided with contact-blades 3 4 on opposite sides of the pivot 5, which cooperate with circuit-terminals 6 7. The switch-lever 2 has an arm 8, to which is pivotally connected a rod or bar 9, having forks or arms 10 at its opposite end, between which the bar a extends and to which the bar C6 is connected by a pin 12, carried by the forked arms of the bar 9 and extended through a slot 13 in the bar 0t. It will thus be seen that the reciprocating bar a is capable of being moved the length of the slot 13 without moving the switch-lever, and thereafter further movement of the bar a in the same direction will move the switch-lever. The opposite end-of the rack-bar a is connected in a similar manner withthe mechanrod 16 having forks or arms 18, carrying a pin 19, which extends through a slot 20 in the bar a. (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.) As above stated the switch is especially adapted to control the circuit of an electric motor employed in a hydraulicsystemsuch, for instance,as shown and described in United States Patent No. 399,716, dated March 19, 1889, in which case the-rod 14 is connected to the piston-rod (1 shown in said patent.

The swit ch 2, as'herein'shown, is closed and the-motor is employed to take water from the storage'tanlz or well 13 shown in said patent and force it into the pressure-tank 13, also shown in said patent, until the pressure has reacheda predetermined point, whereupon the piston-rod d and rodl t are moved in the direction' indicated byarrow 20, Fig. 1, and the rack-bar a is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 22, thereby turning the spring-connected leversf g on their pivots-in the direction indicated by arrows 23.

By meansof the slot 13 the rack-bard is permittedto move a distance sufficient to brin'g-the'arms or levers f g in thesame plane through their pivots and at right angles to the rack-bar without producing movement of the switch-lever. During the movement of the-levers 'from the position shown to that just describednamely, in the same plane normal to the rack-barthe springs'h are 6X-' pand ed or placed under tension, which is greatest atthe central position of the saidlevers.

Whenthe segmental levers are in their central position normal to the rack-bar a, theend- 25 of'the slot 13 is at such time in engagement with the'pin '12, and on the'continued movement of the rack-bar-in the direction ofthe arrow 22 the switch-lever is positively moved by said-'rack-bar, and its contact-blades are gradually moved toward the free end of the circuit-terminals until the triotional-resistance between the blade and its their terminals substantially in an instant,

the slot20 permitting the rack-bar Ct to be so movedwvithout injurious effect on the actuating mechanism for the rack-bar, which at that time may have reached the limit of its movement in the direction to open the switch.

The switch when opened as described has its blade 1 thrown into engagement with a holding device 50, provided with two spring fingers or jaws 51 52, which retain the switch in its open position until disengaged therefrom, as will be described.

Vhen the pressure falls below the predetcrmined point, the rod 14: is moved so as to move the rack-bar in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow 22, and at the beginning of such movement the pins 12 19 engage the outermost end walls of the slots 13 20, so that during the movement of the rackbar a in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow 22 the entire mechanism between the rod 14c and the switch-lever 2 moves as one piece until the leversfg have reached theirposition normal to the rack-bar, during which movement the lever 2 is being gradu ally moved, and its blade 1 is gradually moved out of engagement with the holding-jaws 51 52, and at or about-the-time the levers f g have passed their-position normal to theraclc blade 4 therefrom and move'th'e switch substantially in an instant and force the blades' 3 {i into full engagement with their cooperah ing terminals, as represented in Fig. 1.

I The slot 20 permits the rack-bar tobe moved quickly to close the switch'without injury to its actuating mechanism, which'at-such time might be stationary, and the slot 13 permits movement of the rack-bar independent of the switch.

It will be noticed that the quick movement or throw of the switch iseitectedbyth'e springs 7; after they have passed thepoint of great est" tension and while said tension is'diminishing; but it will also benoticed that this by the increasing leverage obtained bythe change of position of the levers f g from theii position normal to. the rackbar. Consequently the rack-bar is moved in both directions with great force and substantially in an instant by the springs, and therefore the switch is both opened and-closed substan-' tially in an instant and with 'sufficient power to insure a full opening and a full closing of the same, thus avoiding the danger of burn ingout of the switch and delays consequent thereto.

I have herein shown my invention Ias=em-" particular purpose; but I do not 'de'sireto limit my invention in this respect, as it is evithat the-bar a and spring-actuated levers engaging it'may be used in other'connections.

I c1aiml. The combination with an electric switch, of mechanism to operate it comprising a rackbar having teeth on opposite sides, pivoted levers or arms provided with gear-teeth in en'=- gagement with the teeth on the rack-bar,'-a

spring connecting said levers or arms, and means to effect a loose yet positive connection between said rack-bar and switch, snb= stantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with an electric switch,

of mechanism to operate it comprising a reciprocating device loosely yet positively connected to said switch, a spring to effect move ment of said reciprocating device, and means connected with said spring and with said device to increase the effective work of the spring while said spring is decreasing in tension, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an electric switch, of mechanism to operate it comprising a bar, levers or arms on opposite sides of said bar and connected therewith, a spring connecting said levers or arms, and means to effect a loose yet positive connection between said bar and switch, for the purpose specified.

at. The combination with an electric switch, of mechanism to operate it comprising a bar loosely yet positively connected to said switch, a spring cooperating with said bar to effect movement of the bar independent of the switch and means to increase the elfective work of the said spring as the tension of the said spring decreases, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a longitudinallyreciprocating bar, a spring to move it, and levers or arms on opposite sides of said bar connected therewith and joined together by said spring, whereby the effective work of said spring on said reciprocating bar is accom plished while the tension of said spring is diminishing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHAN M. ANDERJSEN.

\Vitnesses:

JAs. H. GHURomiLL, J. MURPHY. 

